Brilliance

I have discovered a new brilliance within myself, well, actually ON myself. Many of you have extolled the charm of my "glowing" personality. I have discovered a way to make my "halo" manifest itself physically, such that I can put it to practical use. I excitedly told my beloved about my "brilliant" discovery, but to my dismay, she pooh poohed my exuberance. I made the humble request that she follow me down, slowly, step by step, into the depths of our basement. She acquiesced. Our basement is illuminated with two spot lights. Such lighting is dismal. I stood before the pantry shelves, with my head just in front of the spot light. I asked my beloved to watch the products on the shelves as I moved my head back slightly behind the light fixture. To her utter surprise and amazement, she burst out laughing as the light reflected off my shiny head and illuminated all of the shelves. Her hysterical laughter tripped her as she attempted to walk up the stairs. My "brilliance" kept her laughing so hard that she nearly fell out of her chair once she had poured herself back into it. By now my litter of children were transfixed by my beloved's laughter and they just had to see for themselves. They queried of themselves, "What could Papa have done to put Mama is such a jocular mood?" So as to educate my charges in the ways of physical comedy, I introduced them, as well, to my new found brilliance. Celeste laughed so hard, we thought she might pee in her pants.

Love Mushroom, the Brilliant

Derek And Tasha's Wedding 18 June 2005 

This is Denise on her 55th birthday (17 June 2005) Isn't she beautiful!!! I am so lucky to have her in my life. 

Benjamin & Victoria after the vows 

Benjamin & Victoria 

Benjamin & Victoria's Wedding

Last weekend I was the Celebrant for a Vickie and Ben's wedding. They are delightful neighbors who live two doors down. They prayed for sunshine and got it. We had rain throughout the day and did not need anymore. Their wedding was held at Lakewold Gardens in Lakewood. It was a beautiful outdoor garden setting. As the wedding began, the clouds danced a circle opening allowing the sun's rays to shine through and onto the wedding couple and guests. I walked down the stone walkway from the house to a special gazebo made just for the wedding. I was followed by the mothers, fathers, gentlemen and ladies of honor and finally the groom. When the groom arrived at the gazebo I followed him as he proceeded to unveil the gazebo, thus revealing the treasure of his bride within. It was very romantic and touching.

Do you remember the wedding scene in the movie, 'The Princess Bride'? The bishop doing the wedding had a speech impediment. Well, I started the ceremony by copying the bishop's word, speech impediment and all.

The bride and groom were pleased and there were many laughs and chuckles. After a few lines and a few chuckles, I bent down to pick up the "real" ceremony, by saying, "oops, wrong script."

We crafted the ceremony together. It was a ceremony marked with personal symbolism for the couple. When they first met, they were both enthusiastic about “The Princess Bride” They both had several copies. The gazebo was a symbolic jewel box. The mothers and the sisters of the bride and groom were in the ceremony adding a welcoming family component to the wedding.
I saw them driving out of the neighborhood this afternoon. They looked deliriously happy in love.

You are only as old as you wish to be

You are only as old as you wish to be. While we were attending a wedding in California, I visited some cousins, who have been married for 73 years. That puts them into their 90s. They are so much younger than so many people that I know. I remember being in the second grade and thinking that the girls who were in the 6th grade were already grown up. I have friends who are flabbergasted when I tell them that Jeremy would have been 35 years old this year. They can't believe I am old enough to have a 35 year old son. I currently look the age of someone who has kids in high school now. When Jeremy was in High school I thought that so many of the high school parents looked so old. I choose to be ageless, not too young and not too old. I choose to be the grandest version of myself. Last weekend I performed a wedding in a beautiful garden South of Tacoma. All generations were present. I conversed and fit in with all. In a manner of speaking, I am no age. Neither are you. Every now and then I see a photo of myself taken in an earlier time and I think, ‘I appear different now.’
I am amazed by how the senior folks are obsessed with not being nor looking like who they are. We have finally become the elders of our society and we run in fear and try to disguise ourselves to look not our rightful part. Why aren't we celebrating our crone aspect? We earned our way here through trials and tribulations, through far too few celebrations of our life's passages. Damn the torpedoes of feared aging. I am going to celebrate the very fact that I am still here and I made it this far, garnering some wisdom along the way. I have learned and earned so much. I have learned and earned compassion. And that has helped to love who I am. I cannot not give what I do not have. I have more than enough love and compassion to share over and over with whomever needs it. I have learned to play games with Celeste and let the dishes wait. My priority is family and friends and nurturing their love and respect. I have learned that what others say about me is none of my business. If I am true to myself, then only what I think of myself is what truly matters. I have learned that crying in public can be a good thing. It gives persmission for others to cry if they need to. I have learned that sharing a smile warms even the coldest hearts. I could go on and on. But you get the point.
I am grateful for all the people who have come into my life. For they have taught me much and given me amazing gifts, some of which they were not aware they were giving.
Now, go out and celebrate your rightful position in society and share the gift of yourself and that wonderful smile of yours.
Love Mushroom

Sydney poses with the other mascots 

Sydney poses with the Race Volunteers 

Denise as Sydney Kidney at the Race for a Cure with the other mascots